


There's No Such Thing As A Normal Response To Trauma

by TheseusInTheMaze



Series: Eldritch Mark and Doggo Jack [2]
Category: Game Grumps, jacksepticeye
Genre: Double Penetration, Feelings Jam, M/M, Polyamory, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Spookgrumps, Tentacle Dick, Trauma Discussion, Unusual penis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 09:51:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13292319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheseusInTheMaze/pseuds/TheseusInTheMaze
Summary: Jack crashes with Arin for a week.





	There's No Such Thing As A Normal Response To Trauma

Arin opened his door to Mark and Jack.

"Hi," said Arin, and he smiled at the two of them.

"Hi!" 

Jack stood on his tiptoes and hugged Arin, giving Arin a slurping, doggy kiss.

Arin rolled his eyes, ruffling Jack's hair.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on him while I'm out of town," said Mark.

"I'm a grown ass adult," Jack reminded Mark, as he dumped his bag on the floor, his tail still wagging. 

"Well, yeah, but you get... antsy," said Mark.

Arin watched the two of them, bemused.

"He'll be fine," he told Mark.

"Thank you again," said Mark, and then he was putting his hand on the back of Jack's forehead, and they were breathing each other's breath. 

"Okay," said Arin, and he rested a hand on top of Jack's head as well, ruffling his hair. 

Jack was still in the daze he had been, pressed so close to Mark, and Arin looked away, removing his hand.

There was an intensity to their closeness - two lovers being lovers to that degree... well, it can be rude to intrude, and it can be pretty easy to feel like you're intruding.

He tried not to twiddle his thumbs too much, his tail twitching.

Then Jack kissed Mark, and Mark was saying his goodbyes.

"I'll see you guys in a week, okay?"

"Okay! Have fun with the family!"

"... I'll do my best," said Mark, making a face.

"It won't be too bad," Jack said, his tone cheerful.

"Easy for you to say," Mark grumbled. 

"Bye," said Arin, and he waved.

"Be safe," Mark said, and then he was out the door.

Arin and Jack stood in the entryway of Arin's house for a minute, and there was a bit of an awkward silence.

"Thanks for understanding my thing about not being alone," Jack said, his tail wagging nervously, his ears flat.

"I totally get it," said Arin, trying to sound reassuring. "I'd be rattling around here miserably if you hadn't come to stay, what with Suzy being off with her family as well."

"You weren't invited this time?"

Jack seemed to have realized that what he had said was a bit of a faux pas, and he blushed, his tail going between his legs. 

"I was," said Arin, "but they're out in the desert, and it's too damn hot for me."

Arin just... wasn't good with heat, and especially not with the heat when he visited his in laws.

As snake people, they had all of the heat cranked up, all the way.

Last time, Arin had ended up sleeping outside, just to stop sweating.

"That's fair," said Jack, and his tail was wagging. "I should be fine."

"I know," said Arin. "Like you said, you're a grown ass adult."

"And if I get too antsy or anything like that, I can go run around outside until I'm tired or something," said Jack, still cheerful.

"You don't have to do that," said Arin. "I'm sure that there are ways to tire you out."

Jack... blushed, and that was fucking adorable.

"Well," said Jack, and he cleared his throat, "I'm gonna go film a few episodes. I've got it set up on my laptop."

"Sounds good," said Arin. "If you need anything, I'll be noodling around the house."

"... noodling? What, you're gonna turn into a piece of pasta?"

"Well, okay, no, I won't turn into a piece of pasta," said Arin, and he wrinkled his nose, looking amused. "I'll just be around."

"Right," said Jack, and he stood on tiptoe to nuzzle at Arin's cheek again, his tail wagging a mile a minute. "Sorry in advance for the shouting."

"I'm sure it won't be too loud," Arin said, his tone confident.

"Well, if you say so," said Jack, making his way towards the guest bedroom.

* * *

Arin was napping on the couch when he was woken up by Jack shouting.

It was pretty expressive shouting, at the very least, and from what Arin could hear, Jack wasn't exactly unhappy about it, so he couldn't complain too hard.

Arin grinned a bit in spite of himself, his ears flattening down.

There was just so much... boundless energy with Jack, and even though it could be a tad frustrating sometimes, there was something so... nice about it.

Comforting.

Jack could always be trusted to be bouncing off the walls and making jokes as he did so.

Arin yawned, rolled over onto his stomach, and he burrowed back into the couch.

He had been up late the night before, doing a Grumps episode with Dan, and now Dan was off doing something or other with Brian, so Arin was well and truly alone, were it not for Jack.

It was weird - tigers kind of had the reputation for being solitary creatures, but Arin had never been one.

He liked people.

He liked company.

He liked the couch right now, and the way that the cats were climbing all over him, settling on his back and his butt, leaving him snoring into the sofa cushions, his tail twitching slowly, his dreams descending down onto him like a wave.

* * *

Arin was woken up by the sound of someone sitting nearby.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes, to find Jack bushed out on the armchair by the couch.

"Hey man," said Arin.

"Hi," said Jack, and he grinned at Arin, his ears flicking. "Good nap?"

"Pretty good," said Arin, yawning widely and stretching, his back arching and his claws extending.

He caught Jack staring at his claws, and he blushed, retracting them again.

He sometimes forgot how unsettling he could be, to people who weren't used to his bulk or his sharpness.

"How long was I asleep?"

"No idea," said Jack, "but it's gotten dark out."

Mark had dropped Jack off around three in the afternoon, so it had been... at least three or four hours.

Arin yawned again, rubbing his eyes. 

"You hungry?"

"Fuckin' starving," Jack said, his tone agreeable.

"What do you want for food?"

"Something with meat in it," said Jack.

Arin snorted, and he stretched again, his mouth opening widely as he yawned, his tail flicking. 

Jack yawned back, and that startled a laugh out of Arin.

"It's kinda contagious, ain't it?"

"Oh yeah," said Jack, and he laughed back. "Did you know Mark doesn't get the contagious yawn thing?"

"What, really?"

Arin raised an eyebrow.

"Really," said Jack. "Because, you know, he's kinda only wearing a person suit. But there's all the different... bits of being a person, you know?"

"Yeah," said Arin. 

"It's weird how so much of us are put together," said Jack. "Like, not just put together, but like... connected."

"Connected?"

"Like... living with Mark, it's... you begin to realize just how much of your body is on autopilot. And he doesn't have the autopilot."

"Autopilot?"

"Yeah," said Jack. "Like... when you yawn, I yawned, right?"

"Right."

"Mark doesn't do that."

"Oh," said Arin.

"Unless he has to remember it."

"... huh."

Arin tried to imagine that - having to remember to do things like blink, or sneeze.

... it made his head hurt.

* * *

Arin ordered pizza.

Ordinarily, he'd do some cooking, but... well, fuck it.

He was still sleepy, and he missed having someone to cuddle when he was sleeping.

Maybe he'd ask Jack.

... or would that be too weird?

They'd fucked around a few times, but that was mainly in the "I'm in heat, you're in heat" kind of way.

Versus....

Well....

Who even fucking knew.

They sat around and they ate pizza, talking about nothing in particular.

They were more or less human shaped, since it was easier on the furniture.

"Thanks again for letting me stay," said Jack, licking his chops and chewing on a particularly tough piece of crust.

"No problem, like I said," said Arin. "I like the company."

"I feel like I should do something for you," said Jack, "since you're letting me stay and feeding me and whatnot."

"You don't have to do anything," said Arin. "I promise."

"Still," said Jack. "I'll go grocery shopping at some point, make you dinner, okay?"

"Okay," said Arin. "Anything in particular you'd like to cook?"

"I'm not sure," said Jack. "What do you like?"

"I like a lot of stuff," said Arin. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm honestly not sure," said Jack. "Still getting used to the US and how you guys do things."

"Hmm?"

"Your cheese selections are pathetic," said Jack, leaning back, his hands behind his head.

"What do you have against American cheese?"

"You mean American cheese as in that stuff that's basically sticky notes?"

"They're not sticky notes," Arin said, because he had to defend his homeland _somehow_. "American cheese can be delicious, thank you very much."

"I don't believe you," said Jack. "It's gross as hell."

"Don't Irish people eat weird shit?"

"Oh, no doubt," said Jack. 

"Also, you're a dog," said Arin, and he was grinning a bit in spite of himself, his tail twitching. 

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I mean," said Arin, aware that he was possibly about to put his foot in his mouth, "dogs are kind of known for eating a lot of different stuff."

"So are tigers," Jack countered. 

"Tigers are known for eating a ton of stuff?" Arin raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, you guys are known for being more... discerning," said Jack, and he looked like he was trying to backpedal, which was amusing.

Arin's tail was swishing lazily behind him, and he was just so damn... comfortable.

He was usually a bit more uncomfortable with newer people, or at least... people who weren't his people. 

Was Jack one of his people?

Arin wasn't sure yet.

And now Jack was wagging his tail, looking slightly nervous, and Arin could pick out some anxiety from him, the smell of it wafting towards him.

"You okay?" 

"I was wondering if maybe, after I washed the dishes, we could do some cuddling, maybe?"

Oh, that was all?

"Sure," said Arin, and he grinned. "Were you worried I'd say no or something?"

"Nah," said Jack, and he looked embarrassed. "More worried that, you know, you'd think I was some kind of creeper or something."

"I don't think you're a creeper," Arin assured Jack. "I mean, we've had sex before."

"Well, okay, yeah, we've had sex, but there's a difference between having sex when you're in heat, and offering affection when you're _not_ being fueled by hormones and whatnot."

"Whatnot?"

"All the whatnot that comes from being in heat," said Jack.

"Ah," said Arin, and he nodded.

That made sense.

"But I'll do the dishes," said Jack. "Since you ordered food."

"We barely used any dishes," Arin pointed out. "Don't worry about it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," said Arin. "We'll get the dishes done, then we can watch a movie and have a cuddle on the couch."

"You wanna have a cuddle?"

Jack's tail was wagging faster.

"Yeah," Jack said. 

His tongue was lolling out, and his ears were perking up.

"I'm gonna transform, if that's okay?"

Sometimes it unsettled people when he transformed, although then again, Jack was a shapeshifter himself.

So it couldn't be to weird for him, could it?

"I'll do it too," said Jack, and his tail was wagging harder.

"Sounds good," said Arin, and he made his way towards the bedroom, to go find some comfortable clothes.

* * *

Arin lay flat on the couch, staring at the ceiling, his eyes half shut.

He was tired.

He was tired, and then there was a smaller, furry body on top of his, and Jack was snuggling into Arin's belly, Arin's chest, Arin's neck.

"Hiiiii," Jack panted, and he licked along Arin's jaw.

"Hi," said Arin, and he scratched down Jack's back, finding the base of Jack's tail, as Jack's tail began to wag. 

"Hiiii," Jack said, his eyes sliding shut, his tongue lolling out.

"You're a cutie," Arin said, as he moved up Jack's back, to around Jack's ears, as Jack squirmed, his eyes squeezing shut.

"Aw," said Jack, and he blushed, looking to the side.

"I mean it," said Arin, and he scratched behind Jack's other ear, so that he was doing both at once.

Jack was wriggling, and Arin was getting a boner. 

Oh geez.

Um.

“You’re cute,” Arin said again, and he was blushing.

“I noticed,” said Jack, and he squirmed, grinding against Arin’s crotch.

“... seriously?”

"Waddaya mean, seriously?" 

Jack's tongue lolled out of the side of his muzzle, his tail still wagging. "As big as your dick is, how can I not tell when you get a raging stiffy?"

"... raging stiffy?"

Arin raised an eyebrow.

Well, he didn't have eyebrows in this form, not exactly, but still. 

"Shuddup, I get stupid when I'm horny," mumbled Jack, and he shoved his cold nose into the side of Arin's neck, his tail still wagging. 

"So you're horny, huh?"

Arin rolled his hips upwards, his cock hard in his pajama pants, already starting to leak.

"I'm horny," admitted Jack. "I'm sorry."

Arin paused. 

"What are you sorry for?"

"I'm... you know," said Jack. 

Arin paused, giving Jack a confused look. 

"So are you apologizing to me for being aroused?"

"... I guess so," said Jack, his ears flattening. 

"Why?"

Arin sat up some, and Jack nuzzled into his chest, one ear against Arin's nipple. 

His tail was wagging in time with Arin's heartbeat, and that was so sweet that Arin's heart began to beat a little faster. 

God, but Jack was so cute.

"I've got a few hang ups," said Jack slowly. "I know some of them are due to... you know, the passenger I've got in the back of my head."

Arin nodded, although he didn't know too much about that. 

He'd gleaned bits and pieces of it. 

"I know the stereotype is that guys like me are super horny all the time and want to fuck all the time, and are always up for more fucking...."

Arin nodded. 

"There are people who make assumptions about me for being a tiger," said Arin. "Like how I always want to be dominant, or that I'm always up for anything."

"There seem to be a lot of stereotypes about people like us," said Jack, making a face. 

"If you don't wanna have sex, we don't have to," said Arin.

"Oh, I know that," said Jack quickly. "I was never worried that you would try something like that."

"Okay, good," said Arin.

"And... I wouldn't mind doing something fun," said Jack, and he waggled his eyebrows.

When he was shapeshifted, his eyebrows were a lot more subtle, but he still managed to get away with doing things with them. 

"What kinda fun are you thinking about?"

"I dunno," Jack admitted. "I could blow you?"

"I would love to be blown by you," said Arin, "but how about you sit on my face first?"

Jack turned _pink_ \- it showed through his fur, and he began to pant.

"Do you really, uh... do you really want me to sit on your face?"

Jack licked his lips.

"I wouldn't have offered it if I didn't want you to," Arin said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Can we... can we do that kinda thing on the couch?"

"I mean, I'm gonna clean it up afterwards," said Arin. "But I figure it's easier this way, because you've got something to hold on to."

"Oh," said Jack. "Yeah. That makes sense." He blushed. "I think, uh... I think I'd like to sit on your face."

"That's great," said Arin, and he grinned, lying flat. "Ready to climb on?"

* * * 

There was some rearranging. 

Jack ended up awkwardly balancing, clearly worried about smothering Arin.

Arin eventually lost patience, and just grabbed Jack by the hips to keep him in place, beginning to lick.

Jack moaned. 

Jack moaned and shuddered, his tail wagging faster, and it was almost ticklish against Arin's hair, as he held Jack in place and began to lick him harder.

Jack was shaking, as Arin began to slide his tongue inside of Jack, lapping along the rim of Jack's hole, and then he was moving forward, sucking on Jack's balls.

It was all a mess - Jack shuddering and sobbing, humping, his cock hard and wet, rubbing against Arin's chest. 

Arin craned his neck forward, lapping at Jack's taint, then going back to sucking and licking along the rim of Jack's asshole.

Jack groaned, and he was grinding against Arin's chest, his knot popping out now, and holy crap, Jack was a lot more excitable than Arin had considered, if he was already this close.

But oh, there was something... almost endearing about Jack like this, the way he was coming undone.

He was panting, and okay, he was drooling a little bit, which was kind of gross, but even in the throes of passion, he was reaching out for Arin's dick, squeezing it with his own hand awkwardly, through Arin's pajama pants.

He could only just reach it.

Arin moaned, and then he was purring, as the tips of Jack's fingers explored along his shaft, and Jack's tail was still wagging, his cock beginning to drool down the shaft, getting all over the fur of Arin's chest, even on Arin's nipples.

And then Jack was shuddering, his ass seizing up, and he was cumming right across Arin's chest and Arin's stomach, his hips working desperately, his hands now clutching at Arin's hips, wrinkling the fabric of Arin's pajama pants.

"Oh... fuck," Jack mumbled, and then he was face down, his wet nose slightly ticklish through the thin fur of Arin's belly.

"Good orgasm?"

"Is there such a thing as a _bad_ orgasm?"

Jack's breath was ticklish, and his tail was still going fast.

"I've had a few," Arin admitted.

"What made them bad?"

"A few of them were, like, let downs," said Arin, as Jack got up and off of him.

Arin immediately missed the warm body on top of his own, and the spunk was already getting cold. 

It was uncomfortable, and it was cold, and Arin was about to call Jack back to cuddle up, but then Jack was just... settling between Arin's legs, nuzzling into Arin's thigh, shoving down the waistband of Arin's pajama pants. 

Jack didn't seem to have much experience with playing with a cock like Arin's - in fairness, where _would_ he get it?

When they were both in heat or in rut or whatever the fuck it was that got their hormones in a tizzy, it was all... well, instinct.

Or at least, mostly instinct.

Versus... well, having sex, as a pair of people are wont to do. 

But what Jack lacked in experience, he made up for in enthusiasm.

Oh, but he had enthusiasm.

He was drooling all along Arin's shaft, and then he was bobbing his head, slurping at the head of his cock, then going lower, sucking on the shaft of Arin's cock, then beginning to bob his head faster, slurping louder. 

"Oh god," Arin groaned, and he held on tightly to his own hair, tangling it in there, and he rolled his hips, panting. 

"God, you're so _big_ ," said Jack, and he stared at Arin with eyes that could be described as "worshipful."

Holy shit.

And then Jack was swallowing him down like a goddamn popsicle, and Arin groaned like he was in pain, as Jack swallowed around him, and then he was cumming down Jack's throat, how was he cumming down Jack's throat, and he sobbed, going limp, shuddering, his cock twitching.

He lay flat on his back, panting like he had been running a race, and he sighed, pulling Jack closer to him, beginning to groom Jack with his long tongue.

There was a dribble of cum down the side of his mouth.

Arin licked it off, and then he wrinkled his nose, because ew. 

"Your tongue is really rough," said Jack.

"Sorry," said Arin. 

"It's fine," said Jack, and he grinned. "Gonna give me a proper tongue bath?"

"No tongue bath," said Arin. "You're too delicate."

"I'm not delicate," Jack protested.

Arin gave him a Look.

"... I'm not _that_ delicate," Jack amended.

Arin grinned.

"You are compared to me," he told Jack, and he curled up in a ball around Jack, licking along the top of Jack's head and purring.

Jack made a contented noise, and burrowed his nose into the soft spot where Arin's chin met his neck.

"You're such a puppy," said Arin. 

"I mean, I am a weredog," Jack pointed out.

"... it's more than that," said Arin. "You're a puppy, versus... you know, a dog."

"I guess I am kind of a puppy," Jack admitted. "Sometimes I think that people sometimes underestimate me."

"Underestimate you?"

Jack's voice buzzed across Arin's skin.

"Because I have green hair and an energetic personality, people make assumptions about me. It's... it's complicated. I dunno." Jack sighed. "I just... you know, I worry about what people think of me."

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah," said Jack, and he yawned widely enough that his jaw cracked. 

"I feel the same," said Arin. "Since, you know, I'm so big, and people think I'm just big and mean and scary."

"You're a giant marshmallow," said Jack, and he prodded Arin in the gut for emphasis.

"Well, yeah, but still."

"I'm sorry," said Arin. 

"Eh, what can ya do?" Jack gave a lolling grin. 

"I dunno," Arin said.

"No idea," said Jack. "Otherwise I'd have fixed it somehow." 

"Well, I think you're awesome," Arin said, and he tried to sound less... goofy.

"Thank you," said Jack, and he looked... legitimately grateful. "And I guess some of it is... you know, my... passenger."

Arin nodded, although he still didn't entirely get it.

"I wasn't... I wasn't safe for a long time," Jack said, slowly, carefully. "Around... you know, around sharp stuff. Stuff like that. One of the reasons I moved, honestly."

"Mmm?" 

"To my family, I'm still the dumb puppy that stuck his nose where he shouldn't have and ended up kinda-sorta possessed," said Jack, wrinkling his nose.

Arin shrugged.

"We've all had bad luck," he told Jack, aware even as he said it that he sounded kinda... well, dumb.

"Thanks," said Jack.

Arin, not sure of what else to say, just reached up, scratching Jack around the ears.

Jack wriggled, his foot beginning to kick just a bit, his tongue lolling out further.

"God, that's good," Jack groaned, and then he stretched out, going almost liquid, his eyes sliding shut.

Arin grinned, and he kissed the top of Jack's head.

Then he made a face.

"We both need to take a shower," he told Jack. 

"Yeah?"

Jack's voice was sleepy.

"Oh yeah," said Arin. "We're both covered in spunk."

"Ew. When you call it spunk, it sounds... dumb," said Jack. 

"Jizz. Semen. Ejaculate."

"Urrrgh," said Jack, but he was beginning to laugh.

"Cum. Baby batter!"

"Don't call it baby batter," Jack begged, and he was laughing so hard that he fell off of Arin, lying flat on his back on the floor and laughing at the ceiling. 

Arin grinned, nudging Jack with his foot. 

"Oh Jack," Arin said, his voice completely deadpan, "please, shoot your baby batter all over me."

"I'm gonna die," Jack gasped between peals of laughter. "I'm gonna fuckin'... croak."

Arin grinned, sitting up fully and stretching. 

"Can't have that," he said. "Mark would fuckin' kill me."

"I don't think Mark has it in him," said Jack, his expression amused.

"You never know, man," said Arin, and he stretched again, then stood up.

His pants, still pulled low to bare his cock, fell down around his ankles.

Arin made a face, and Jack laughed harder.

* * *

Arin took a long, hot shower, his head tilted back to get the water in his face, making sure to wash his belly extra carefully. 

He had given the couch a good rub down with that special enzyme spray, before he'd done anything else, and Jack was showering in the other bathroom, singing some yodeling, howling song. 

Arin rolled his eyes, but he was grinning.

Jack was such a... dog.

It was cute.

* * *

And then it was time for bed, and Jack was looking... sheepish.

"... can I ask an embarrassing question?"

"Mmm?"

Arin yawned, wide enough that his ears popped. 

"Would it be okay if I sleep next to you?" Jack's ears were down flat, and his tail was between his legs. "I'm just... I'm not good at sleeping on my own. I get bad nightmares, and I don't always... sometimes stuff happens, you know?"

"I get ya," said Arin. "And sure, you can sleep next to me."

"Thanks," said Jack, and he stood on tiptoe, pressing his mouth against Arin's.

Arin kissed him back, and when he pulled back, he saw that Jack's tail was still wagging madly. 

* * *

Jack whined and whimpered in his sleep.

This shouldn't have been such a surprise, in retrospect.

As active and twitchy as Jack was in his day to day life, it would make sense that he would be just as overly energetic in his sleep.

But he was whining, his legs kicking, his nose shoved into Arin's neck.

Arin was woken up by said cold nose, and he tried to disentangle himself.

He'd gone full octopus mode around Jack - he tended to cling to warm bodies, and Suzy clung just as tightly.

Jack woke with a start, and he was shaking, whining like a puppy.

"Hey," Arin murmured, and he licked along the top of Jack's head, purring quietly. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

Jack kept clinging, his fists clutching at Arin's fur.

"What happened?"

Arin's voice was quiet.

"I don't wanna... it was bad," said Jack, his voice quiet. "There is... there are places that we can't go. Like, you and me. Places that are... places that are bad. That are dangerous. That can kill us, or change us."

"Are we talking Lovecraft here?" 

Arin tried to keep his tone light, still purring.

"No," said Jack, slowly. "That's... expected. I dunno. It's complicated."

He sighed. 

"Don't worry," he told Jack, and he was still purring, wrapping himself around Jack like a veritable snake.

When he had nightmares, Suzy would wrap around him like this, her snakes against his face, her long tail stroking up and down his legs.

"There's stuff on the edge of the world," Jack moaned, and Arin began to stroke Jack's back. 

Arin rolled onto his back, and he pulled Jack onto his chest, scratching Jack behind the ears, stroking down his back, then the base of his tail.

"There's always gonna be stuff on the edges of the world," Arin said, trying to sound calm, as his voice rumbled through his chest, up against Jack. "There's stuff on the edges of the world and stuff at the bottom of the ocean and in the shadows. But we're not there, we're here, and whatever is lurking on the edges, it's not gonna come here. Okay?"

"Okay," Jack said into Arin's chest.

"Anything you need right now?" 

"Can you just stay like this, please?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Arin promised.

"Okay," Jack sniffed, and then he was crying.

Oh geez.

Arin made soothing noises, rocking him, rubbing his ears gently. 

"Shh, it's okay," Arin said. "It's okay. I promise."

"I sh-sh-shouldn't be like this," Jack groaned, and he was still sobbing, as Arin rocked him, still purring. 

"There's no should or shouldn't," said Arin. "I sometimes feel guilty for the way my own head does things, but that doesn't mean I have to feel guilty. Sometimes, you just... don't work the way that society expects you to, and that's okay."

Jack kept sobbing, and he was leaving wet spots in Arin's fur, as Arin kept purring, licking the top of his head gently. 

"I've tried to tell Mark about it," Jack mumbled, "but... he's not mortal. He doesn't understand how it works for us. He doesn't... get what society wants from people, from people like... you know, us."

"I know," said Arin. "Mark is good people."

"He is people," said Jack, on agreeing tone. "Just not... you know, mortal." 

"Yeah," Arin agreed.

"... what's it like, being with Dan?"

Jack's tail was wagging slowly, as his heart slowed down.

Arin's purring tapered off, and he made a thoughtful expression.

"It's nice," Arin said. "It's... it's a lot different."

"I'd imagine," said Jack. 

"But, you know... I still love him," said Arin. "In some ways he kind of reminds me of Suzy."

"Does he?"

"Yeah," said Arin, and he yawned widely enough that his jaw creaked. "He's... he's very thoughtful, he's very sweet, and he doesn't work like we do. I mean, Suzy works kinda like we do, obviously, but at the same time... different species. Not mammals."

"... do you ever miss being around mammals?"

"Not really," said Arin. "Tigers aren't exactly solitary the way feral ones are, but we're not exactly... super social like you guys are either."

"Mmm?"

"Like... I like people," said Arin. "Or at least... I like my people. I like you, I like Suzy, Barry, Dan... but I don't seek them out. My whole... social structure isn't built around them, the way yours is."

Jack nodded.

"... sometimes I wish Mark was a little more... mortal," Jack said, right into Arin's chest. "And then I feel like a jerk, because I feel like I'm not appreciating him."

"Would you change him, if you had the chance?"

" _Fuck_ no," said Jack. "I couldn't ever change someone else like that."

"Then I think you're good," said Arin. "I mean... sometimes I wish that Dan or Suzy were mammals, even though I know that I appreciate them the way they are, too."

Jack sighed, a full body sigh, and he seemed to be relaxing on top of Arin.

He was snoring in under a minute, and Arin rolled his eyes.

Maybe Jack just had a complicated guilt complex, or something like that. 

Maybe he was tired.

Arin had long ago made peace with the fact that his life wasn't exactly how he had planned it. 

And okay, sometimes he wished that Suzy had soft fur, or that Dan was less... slimy, but fuck it.

They probably wished he was less furry, or less large.

Although that was a bit too close to certain insecurities of his, but still.

He sighed, and he closed his eyes, evening his breathing out, as Jack cuddled in, making contented noises.

* * * 

Arin woke up with dog drool on his chest, but Jack gone.

It was cold.

Arin shivered, then his nose went into the air, and he took a good sniff.

He smelled eggs.

Eggs and bacon.

Was Jack cooking?

Arin yawned, stretched, and scratched all the various itchy spots.

He made his way downstairs, to find Jack bustling around the kitchen.

"Hi!"

"Hi," said Arin, somewhat dazed.

Suzy wasn't much of a morning person, and Dan didn't cook.

"I made breakfast," said Jack, indicating a big plate.

"... thanks," said Arin, still a bit out of it.

It always took a few minutes for his personality to come back when he woke up.

"To, you know, make up for last night," Jack added.

"You don't have anything to make up for," Arin scolded, as Jack ushered him to the table. 

He was wearing an apron with little skulls on it like polka dots. 

It was Suzy's, but she almost never wore it. 

It was utterly _adorable_ on Jack, because of course it was.

"Well, consider it a "thank you for putting me up," then," said Jack, and he placed a plate heaping with eggs and bacon in front of Arin. "Anyway, I like to cook."

"Fair enough," said Arin, and he took a fork, staring dazedly down at his plate, as Jack sat down across from him, his own plate loaded up. 

"So I'm gonna film some stuff today," said Jack. "Obviously. I mean, that's what I do."

"You wanna come to the Grump space with me and Dan? We've got an episode to do."

"You mean it?"

"Totally," said Arin. 

"You wouldn't mind me doing videos with you?"

Jack's ears were perking up, and his tail was wagging at a million miles an hour.

"I wouldn't offer it if I wasn't okay with it," Arin said, his expression amused.

"... fair," said Jack, and he looked sheepish.

"So we'll be heading off in about two hours," said Arin, and he took a big bite of his eggs.

They were delicious, because of course they were. 

Jack sometimes seemed to be either ridiculously good or endearingly bad at everything he did.

... or maybe Arin was slightly smitten.

That could very well be the case.

That probably _was_ the case.

Of course it was.

"Any idea what kinda video you'd like to do?"

"I figure I'll look up the games that you guys have," said Jack. "Go from there."

"Sounds good," said Arin, still chewing on his food. 

He was still a bit asleep, but he usually took a bit of time to wake up.

* * * 

Jack arrived at the Grump space, and was as energetic as ever.

He seemed to be bouncing off the walls, practically - he was cackling, trading jibes with Ross and Brian, flirting shamelessly with Dan.

Dan looked bemused, and also kind of sleepy. 

"Hi," Dan said, and he gave Arin a kiss.

He was cool to the touch, and he had circles under his eyes.

"You okay?"

Arin was in his more human shape, and he and Dan were more or less the same size, barring bulk.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Dan. "Been having weird dreams."

"You and Jack," Arin said.

"Jack has nightmares?"

"Yeah," said Arin, as the sound of uproarious laughter came from Ross's office. "Probably because of his, uh... friend. He doesn't like being alone."

"Friend?"

Dan's brow wrinkled up as he tried to make sense of what Arin had said. 

"You know...." 

Arin tapped the side of his head, and light dawned in Dan's eyes.

"Oh. Oh!" 

"Yeah," Arin said.

"Yeah, that'd give me nightmares too," Dan said, his tone thoughtful. "I'd hate having to share my head with someone else."

"You get used to it," Jack said casually, and he was just... standing there, which nearly gave Arin a heart attack.

Jack could be very quiet, and very _fast_ when he wanted to be.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't -"

"Don't worry about it, dude," said Jack, and he gave Arin a tight hug, then rounded on Dan. "What are you having nightmares about?" 

"Oh, you know," said Dan, "the usual. Being eaten alive by sharks. Seeing my loved ones being eaten alive by sharks. Generally sharks and teeth and that kinda shit."

Jack winced. 

"That must suck," he said in a consoling tone.

"Yeah," said Dan, and he shrugged, "but what can ya do?"

"... wanna play a game with sharks?"

"... what?"

Dan gaped at Jack, his eyebrows up.

His expression was open enough to be almost comical. 

"Well," said Jack quickly, "I've found that, uh, the best way to deal with being afraid of a thing is to make it funny, and I'm sure you all have some super janky games that have sharks in them, so the next time you have some kind of nightmare with a shark in it, maybe some part of your brain can remember, like, some stupid looking shark glitching through the water, and that'd make it funnier."

"... I will admit, I've never considered that approach," said Dan.

"It's how my sister helped me when I was afraid of the vacuum cleaner," said Jack.

"You were afraid of the vacuum cleaner?"

"I was a puppy," said Jack, his tone defensive. "And it was _huge_."

"That is, like, the cutest shit I've ever heard of," said Dan, and he wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulders, leading him towards the great wall of games.

Arin grinned, and went about setting things up to begin the episode.

Dan and Jack had good chemistry, even if they didn't end up bumping into each other that often. 

It was always nice to see them interacting.

* * *

"Oh my fucking god," Dan laughed, and he sounded like he was choking. "I said go left. Your other left!"

"I'm doing the best I can," Jack said, aggrieved, as Arin laughed harder, laughing so hard that he was almost choking.

"You just phased _through_ a wall," Arin said, and now he was choking, laughing so hard that tears were dripping down his face. "But I won!"

"That can't count as a win," Dan argued. "You cheated to do it!"

"It doesn't count as cheating if I didn't do it on purpose," Arin argued back.

Then they both turned towards Jack.

"You're the one to break the tie," said Dan.

"Yeah," said Arin. "Which one of us is right?"

"I think...."

Arin and Dan both looked at him hopefully.

"I think...."

"Yeah?"

"I think...," Jack said, his eyes darting to the side, "I think next time on Game Grumps!"

"That's a cop out," said Dan. 

"But it's true," said Arin. "It was time for it."

Dan prodded Jack in the side in retaliation, and Jack shrieked like he was being murdered.

They both paused, looking at him, eyebrows up.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Jack, a little breathless. "I might be a bit ticklish."

Dan and Arin made eye contact, and then, as one, they reached out for Jack's ribs, beginning to tickle him.

Jack made a noise that was barely audible, and he wriggled between them, eventually ending up sitting in Arin's lap, wriggling even more.

... quite a lot of wriggling, truth be told.

Arin's dick was already starting to wake up, which... well. 

Of course it was.

Fucking Jack and his wriggly butt and his warm body. 

Dan was looking at Arin with an amused expression. 

Arin flushed, looking to the side, and then Dan was glancing out the window.

They'd been doing this for almost six hours, and it was a bit as if Arin's brain was dribbling out of his ears.

They needed to stop doing these marathons.

At least the Lovelies would appreciate it, right? 

... hopefully.

But now Dan was... Dan was leaning forward, and he was kissing Dan, right over Jack's shoulder.

Jack was whining, squirming against Arin, his ass soft and plush, his tail wagging against Arin's belly.

Dan moaned, and he was pressing closer, chest to chest with Jack.

Dan pulled back, and he made eye contact with Jack.

"I really wanna kiss you," Dan told Jack. "Can I kiss you?"

"You can totally kiss me," Jack said, and he was wagging his tail even faster, almost _bouncing_.

So Dan kissed Jack.

It was a wet kiss - Arin couldn't see much of anything, but he could hear them, and Jack was moaning, quiet, little panting moans. 

Arin was purring - he hadn't realized he was purring, until the vibrating in his chest was getting to him, and he was glad that he'd stayed in his tiger form, because Jack was just so small like this, not tiny, per se, but so much smaller than Arin.

Admittedly, most people were smaller than Arin, but still.

Arin ran his hands up and down Jack's sides, kissing along the back of Jack's neck, rasping his rough tongue along the thin hair there - Jack was still more or less human shaped, and his skin was that much more sensitive.

"Oh god," Jack groaned, when he broke the kiss. "God, Dan, fuck!"

"You wanna?"

Dan's tone was teasing, and he was pressing little kisses to Jack's mouth - little teasing pecks, just enough to make Jack shudder and shake, clutching at Dan's shirt. 

"God, he's so sensitive," Dan said.

"I know, right?"

One of Arin's big hands came around, sliding up under Jack's shirt, finding Jack's nipple and swirling his thumb against it.

Jack shuddered like he was in pain, his head thrown back and his eyes squeezed shut.

His ear was soft and floppy against Arin's cheek.

"I'm... you d-d-d-don't have to... talk about me like I'm not... I'm not he _re_ ," Jack groaned.

He was full on humping Dan, shameless as ever, his tongue lolling out.

"A thousand pardons," said Dan, and he rolled his own hips. "You're so sensitive!"

"I know," Jack said. "For better or for... for worse, fuck, Arin!"

"Mmm?"

Arin was nibbling along Jack's shoulder, and Jack's head was rolling to the side, giving him more shoulder and neck to work with.

"God, Arin, please, fuck... I need...."

"What do you need, Jack?"

"I need your cock," Jack gasped out. "I need... I need both of your cocks."

"Both of them? At the same time?"

"I've kinda got two," Dan piped up, and Jack just... stared at him, wide eyed.

" _What_?!"

"It's complicated," Dan said. "So you want us both to fuck you? Are you thinking about a spit roasting kinda deal? Eiffel tower?" 

Dan was waggling his eyebrows.

"I was thinking the both of you in my ass at the same time," said Jack, as if that was just a... thing that people said, and Arin flushed, pressing his muzzle into Jack's neck, his cheeks hot. 

"You think we'd fit?"

"I've taken, like, ten tentacles in my ass at once," Jack pointed out.

"I keep forgetting about Mark's tentacles," Dan said, his tone thoughtful. "I wonder why."

"Probably because he looks so normal most of the time," said Arin.

"I dunno what you're talking about, him looking normal," said Jack. "Have you seen him do the thing where he just... grows a new set of eyes in the back of his head so that he can see you without turning his head around?"

"... what?"

"I'll take that as a no," Jack said quickly. "He, uh... he lets loose more with me. And forgets about things like having an interior skeleton."

"Versus an exterior skeleton," Dan said flatly.

"Something like that," said Jack. 

"What?"

"We can go into the finer points of Mark's physiology when he has physiology, or we can fuck," said Jack. "I've got a preference towards fucking, personally - I've talked and thought about Mark's body a lot. But if you guys wanna, I can do it.”

"No, no," Arin said, and he reached down, giving Jack's ass a squeeze. "I'll happily fuck you."

"Here and now?"

"We probably have lube lying around someplace," said Dan, "and everyone else isn't gonna be around for a while, what with one thing and another."

A lot of people had left the office - a chunk of them weren't even in state, for one reason or another.

It was that time of year, possibly. Even if LA didn't get that cold, people still got struck with the urge to travel. 

So it was doable....

There was even a towel, to keep the couch and/or floor from getting too gross.

Hmm....

"There's gonna have to be a bit of preparation first," said Arin, his expression thoughtful. 

"What kind of preparation are we talking about?" 

"Well," said Arin, "first we're gonna need to get a _lot_ of lube...."

Jack's tail began to wag against Arin's belly, and Dan grinned over Jack's shoulder.

* * * 

Arin ended up sitting on the floor.

His legs were spread out in front of him, and his cock was out, pointing up towards his chin. 

He had three fingers inside of Jack, and he was fucking Jack with them, carefully, being mindful of his nails.

Jack had lost his ability to use words some time ago, although "stop" still seemed to work. 

They had checked.

But now he was whimpering, thrashing on top of Arin's lap, his cock pressed against Arin's.

It was most nice enough for Arin to not want to change anything - keep fingering Jack, rub their cocks together, paint the front of Jack's shirt with cum, leave him weak and shaking.

But no, because Dan was also there, humping against Jack's lower back, and that was... it was intense. 

Jack was shaking against Arin, and Arin was purring. 

"Who do you want to go in first?"

Jack blinked at Arin, uncomprehending.

Arin removed his fingers, holding on to Jack's bare hips with his own slippery fingers.

Jack paused, now empty. 

"I should change," he said.

"Change?"

"Shape," said Jack. "So I can, uh... so I can fit more."

"It's entirely up to you," Arin said, trying to sound patient.

He was patient, just... he only had so much patience in him.

Especially when he wanted to be in someone else.

... no, that wasn't fair.

But still.

"I'm gonna change," said Jack. "Can you guys just... close your eyes?"

"Right, right," said Dan, and he put both hands over his face.

Arin closed his own eyes.

It was generally considered bad manners to watch people shape shift, and it was always... uncomfortable to watch. 

There was a sound, as if the air had suddenly changed texture.

"You can look now," said Jack, and they both glanced upright.

There was Jack, naked, the fur on his belly so pale that Arin could see the extra nipples going down Jack's belly.

"Hi," said Jack, and he wagged his tail, looking bashful.

His cock was sliding out of its sheath already, the head a dark, pulsing red.

"Hi," said Arin. 

"Hi," said Jack, and he gave Arin a nervous smile. "So, uh, you ready?"

"Totally ready," said Jack. "As ready as a person can get, to having a giant dick in their ass."

"I can keep preparing you, if you'd like," Arin said.

"No, no," Jack said, and then he was... he was straddling Arin's lap, and he was staring into Arin's face.

"Let me help, hold on," said Dan, and then there was a cooler hand wrapped around Arin's shaft, and it was... oh, that was interesting.

There was the coolness of Dan's skin, and there was the heat of Jack, and then Jack was sliding down onto him entirely, taking him all in, and Arin's eyes were practically rolling back in his head.

It was so tight, and Jack's breath was hot and misty on his face, and then Dan's cool fingers were on Arin's sides, and Arin was gasping, his eyes flying open.

And there was Jack, bright blue eyes staring into Arin's, his tongue lolling out, his tail wagging very lowly.

"You're a lot bigger when I'm not in heat," Jack said, his voice thick.

"I could say the same thing," Arin retorted.

"... wait, what?"

"You know what I mean," Arin grumbled, and he rolled his hips.

Jack's cock twitched against Arin's belly, and Arin grinned, as Jack leaned in closer.

"Now... now you, Dan."

"I dunno," Dan said, and he sounded nervous. "Am I gonna fit?"

"You'll totally fit," said Jack, with confidence. "I promise."

"You don't have to promise me that kinda thing," said Dan. "You've got the one body. Don't do anything that would do it serious damage."

Jack was rolling his eyes, and that startled a little blast of laughter out of Arin, which made Jack gasp, clutching at Arin's shoulders.

"Oh," Jack said thickly. "Oh, fuck...."

Arin was leaning back, pulling Jack against his chest now, and It was spreading Jack's hole wider, as Dan's cool fingers slid alongside his dick, and okay, that was a bit of a tight squeeze, and it felt singularly... odd, but it wasn't bad, per se....

Arin just gave in to the sensations.

He fucked up into Jack, carefully, and he used his hands to keep Jack's ass open, as Jack's cold nose pressed into his neck.

Jack was groaning, as another finger was added, and Arin kept moving his hips carefully, as the ridges of his cock were stimulated by Dan's fingers, and then the slippery, slimy head of Dan's cock.

"Holy _shit_ ," Jack gasped, and he was stock still, as Dan carefully slid in.

It was wriggling alongside Arin's cock, practically wrapped around it, and Arin was groaning like he was in pain, clutching tighter to Jack, hard enough that Jack was going to bruise, that Jack was probably going to end up having puncture marks from Arin's claws, but fucked if Arin could do anything about it.

Everything was just... happening.

Jack's face was open, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he was shaking.

Arin came back to himself enough to realize he should probably check on him.

"Jack?"

"Mmm?"

"You okay?"

Jack gave a thumbs up.

"Do you want us to stop?"

"I will kill you if you do," Jack said, in a voice as clear as day.

"... fair enough," said Dan, and he sounded like he was laughing.

His hips drew back, and then he was pushing them forward again, and he was fucking Jack.

He was the only one who could really move much - Arin gave little stuttering thrusts of his hips every now and then, but for the most part, he was just... there. 

Dan was sliding in and out, his cock was eeling in and out of Jack, against Arin, and Arin was shuddering and sobbing, panting, trying not to hurt Jack, as Jack writhed between the two of them.

Jack went completely still at some point, and his cock was spitting wetness across Arin's belly, but he wasn't telling Arin to stop, and Dan was kissing along Jack's neck, as Arin pressed down on his nipples, as Jack thrashed.

And then Arin was cumming - it was a hard orgasm, and it hit him out of nowhere, leaving him shaking as the pressure at the base of his spine broke and broke, leaving the muscles in his gut clenching, his balls tightening.

He was still shaking, clinging to Jack, when Dan was cumming as well, a flood of heat and slime, and then Jack was squirming off of both of them, flopping on the floor a few inches away.

"Sorry," Jack panted, his tongue lolling out. "I'll... I'll do the cuddles and whatnot in a minute, I just need to... I need to not touch anyone for a few minutes."

Arin, still too far gone to use his brain for words, just gave a thumbs up.

Dan fell face first into Arin's chest, getting Jack's cum on his stomach, but he didn't seem to care. 

Arin sighed, and he stroked Dan's hair, reaching out one hand for Jack.

Jack reached his hand out as well, and their fingertips touched.

Their eyes met, and they grinned. 

* * *

Later, when Arin and Jack were home, Jack looked sheepish. 

"I'm sorry about earlier," said Jack.

They were on the couch, Jack's feet in Arin's lap. 

"Mmm?"

"About... you know. Needing to not cuddle or touch," said Jack. 

He looked shy.

"Why are you sorry for that?"

"Because... I dunno." 

Jack shrugged.

"Dude," said Arin, and he put a hand on top of Jack's head, "it's okay. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay." 

Jack glanced over at Arin, nuzzling into the big hand on top of his head. 

"Has it been hard, keeping me around?"

"I mean, my dick has been hard," Arin said, because sometimes someone leaves you an opening and you just _have_ to take it.

"Oh my god," Jack groaned, and he shoved at Arin.

Arin shoved him back, which caused Jack to fall off of the couch.

The two of them made eye contact, and burst out laughing. 

Maybe Jack was finally getting over some of his hang ups.

That would help.

In the meantime....

Well, Arin was willing to help, any way he could.

Even if it was just making him laugh. 

There were worse ways to deal with various... problems, weren't there?


End file.
